Spindle aligning indicator



R. E. PRICE ET AL SPINDLE ALIGNING INDICATOR Jan. 24, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 20, 1964 INVENTORS RALPH 5. PRICE BY ELMHN 7?.DUNN

T'FORNEY R. E. PRICE ET AL SPINDLE ALIGNING INDICATOR Jan. 24, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 20, 1964 lNVENTORs RALPH E. PRICE BY ELMAN R. DUNN ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,299,581 SPINDLE ALIGNKNG INDICATUR Ralph E. Price, Waynesboro, Pa., and Elman R. Dunn, Roscoe, Ill., assignors to Landis Tool Company, Wayneslioro, Pa.

Filed Aug. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 390,915 7 Claims. (Cl. 51-165) This invention relates to disc grinding machines, particularly double disc grinders, and more particularly, to means for aligning the spindles of double disc grinders.

In the past, alignment of spindles was accomplished with varying degrees of accuracy by removing the discs from their backing plates and applying an indicator between the annular faces of the backing plates. If the backing plate contacted by the indicator feeler was not fiat and perpendicular to the spindle, the indicator did not reflect the true position of the spindle axis. Further, this method of indication enabled establishing only a par allel relationship of the two spindle axes.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a spindle aligning indicator device which is not affected by the surface condition of the backing plate.

Another object is to provide a spindle aligning indicator device which does not require the removal of an abrasive disc from the backing plate.

A still further object is to provide a spindle aligning indicator device which enables establishing true coaxial alignment of one spindle with respect to the other.

FIG. 1 is a partial rear elevation of opposed abrasive dis-cs of a double disc grinder.

FIG. 2 is a partial right hand end elevation.

The left hand mounting plate 11 is carried by the left hand spindle 11, which is rotatably mounted in the left hand spindle housing 13. The left hand abrasive disc 12 is carried by the left hand mounting plate 10.

The right hand mounting plate 20 is carried by the right hand spindle 21, which is rotatably mounted in the right hand spindle housing 23. The right hand abrasive disc 22 is carried by the right hand mounting plate 20.

Bracket 30 is attached to the peripheral surface of mounting plate by means of screw 31.

The horizontal indicator bar 32 is mounted for endwise adjustment in bracket 30.

Indicator 35 has a contact ball or feeler 36 which may be positioned for horizontal or vertical indication as shown. When positioned for vertical indication, contact ball 36 is mid-way between the faces of the mounting plates 10 and 20. Indicator 35 is mounted in one end of clamp 40, the other end of which is attached to the indicator bar 32 by means of screw 41.

Bracket 50 is attached to the peripheral surface of mounting plate 20 by means of screw 51. An indicator actuating bar 52 is mounted for endwise adjustment in bracket 50. The inner end of said bar 52 is curved in a horizontal direction and straight in a vertical direction.

Adjacent mounting plate 10 is a hood end section 60. Adjacent mounting plate 20 is a hood end section 65. Each of said end sections has five angularly spaced reference notches 70 for angularly positioning the aligning indicator assembly, one at top center, two at 60 and 45 in front of top center, and two more at 60 and 45 to the rear of top center. The 45 marks are used only when structural obstacles prevent the use of the 60 marks. If the 45 mark is used in the front position, it must also be used in the back position.

The indicator actuating bar 52. engages contact ball 36 so that indicator 35 shows a .015" nominal preload.

Various means for swivelling and tilting an abrasive Patented Jan. 24, 1967 ice disc spindle and its mounting are well known and are not described herein.

OPERATION The operation of the invention will be described as a series of steps in aligning the two grinding spindles of a horizontal double spindle disc grinder.

(1) Manually rotate spindle 11 to position the face of indicator 35 for viewing at 60 position front from top center position.

(2) Position bar 52 so that contact ball 36 cont-acts the curved end of said bar with .015" nominal preload.

(3) Manually oscillate spindle 21 slightly and position the dial zero at point of maximum indicator needle deflection.

(4) Manually rotate spindle 11 to position face of indicator 35 for viewing at 60 position back from top center position. Then manually oscillate spindle 21 to sweep the bar 52 past indicator 35 and read maximum deviation from the indicator zero, noting whether the deviation is plus or minus.

(5) Swivel both spindles 11 and 21 equally at the point of swivel adjustment, but in appropriately opposite directions, until the indicator reading as in Step 4 is midway between Zero and the initial reading observed in Step 4. The axes of both of said spindles should now lie in parallel vertical planes.

(6) Repeat Steps 1-4 to verify the result obtained in Step 5. Unless indicator 35 reads the same at both front and rear 60 positions; swivel either spindle 11 or 2-1 ap propriately until identical readings are obtained, then rotate the indicator dial to register zero at both front and rear positions.

(7) Manually rotate spindles 11 and 21 to position the face of indicator 35 for viewing at top center position and note the indicator maximum reading while manually oscillating spindle 21 slightly to obtain the maximum reading.

(a) If the maximum reading at top center is the identical zero indicated front and rear in Step 6, then the spindle axes are practically parallel in all planes and no adjustment of tilt is required at this point.

(b) If the maximum reading at top center is minus, then each spindle must be tilted upward equally at the outer end until identical indicator readings are obtained at front, top center, and rear positions. The spindle axes will then be practically parallel in all planes.

(c) If the maximum reading at top center is plus, then each spindle must be tilted downward equally at the outer end until identical indicator readings are obtained at front, top center and rear positions. The spindle axes will .then be practically parallel in all planes.

(8) Reposition contact ball 36 for radial indications as shown in FIG. 1.

(9) Manually rotate both spindles 11 and 21 to position the face of indicator 35 for viewing at 60 front position, and to position bar 52 accordingly.

(10) Shift indicator 35 in clamp 40 so that contact ball 36 contacts the CD. of bar 52, with .015" nominal preload.

(11) Manually oscillate spindle 21 slightly and position the dial zero at point of maximum indicator needle deflection caused by bar 52.

(12) Manually rotate both spindles 11 and 21 to position the face of indicator 35 for viewing at 60 rear position, and to position bar 52 accordingly.

(13) Manually oscillate spindle 21 slightly and read the maximum deviation from the indicator zero caused by bar 52.

(14) Swivel each spindle 11 and 21 equally in the horizontal plane and in the same rotary direction about its swivel point until the indicator reading as in Step 13 is mid-way between zero and the initial reading observed in Step 13. The axes of both spindles should now be parallel in the same vertical plane.

(15) Repeat Steps 1114 to verify the result obtained in Step 14. Unless indicator 35 reads the same at both front and rear 60 positions, swivel either spindle appropriately until identical readings are obtained, then ro tate the indicator dial to register zero at both front and rear 60 positions.

(16) Manually rotate both spindles 11 and 21 to position the face of indicator 35 for viewing at top center position and note the indicator maximum reading while manually oscillating spindle 21 slightly to obtain maximum reading.

(17(a)) If the maximum reading at top center is the identical zero indicated front and rear in Step 14,. then the spindles are co-axial or zeroed-in.

(8) If the maximum reading at top center is plus, tilt the outer end of spindle 21 up and the outer end of spindle 11 down, equal amounts until identical indicator readings are obtained at front, top center, and rear positions. The spindles will then be co-axial or zeroed-in.

(c) If the maximum reading at top center is minus, tilt outer end of spindle 21 down and the outer end of spindle 11 up, equal amounts until identical indicator readings are obtained at front, top center, and rear positions. The spindles will then :be co-axial or zeroed-in.

(18) Repeat Steps 1-7 and 8l6 until all three axial and radial indications are zero.

After the spindles are in alignment, head-setting indicators (not shown) should be adjusted to zero with dial zeroes at top center position.

It is to be understood that the device and the procedures described herein could be adapted to the task of aligning two spindles or shafts co-axially, other than in a double spindle disc grinder.

We claim:

1. In a double disc grinding machine having (a) a pair of spindle housings,

(b) a spindle rotatably mounted in each of said housings,

(c) an abrasive disc mounting plate on each of said spindles,

(d) a spindle aligning indicator device comprising (e) an indicator bar,

(f) means for attaching said indicator bar to one of said mounting plates,

(g) an indicator mounted on said indicator bar,

(h) and an indicator actuating bar mounted on said other mounting plate.

2. In a double disc grinding machine having (a) a pair of spindle housings,

(b) a spindle rotatably mounted in each of said housings,

(c) an abrasive disc mounting plate on each of said spindles,

(d) a spindle aligning indicator device comprisng (e) an indicator bar,

(f) means for attaching said indicator bar to one of said mounting plates,

(g) an indicator mounted on said indicator bar,

(h) and an indicator actuating bar mounted on said other mounting plate and having (i) a surface for engaging said indicator for axial indication and (j) a surface perpendicular to said first mentioned surface for engaging said indicator for radial indication.

3. In a double disc grinding machine having (a) a pair of spindle housings,

(b) a spindle rotatably mounted in each of said housmgs,

(c) an abrasive disc mounting plate on each of said spindles,

(d) a spindle aligning indicator device comprising (e) an indicator bar,

(f) means for attaching said indicator bar to one of said mounting plates,

( g) an indicator mounted on said indicator bar,

(h) and an indicator actuating bar mounted on said other mounting plate and having (i) a curved surface for engaging said indicator for axial indication and (j) a surface perpendicular to said curved surface for engaging said indicator for radial indication.

4. In a double disc grinding machine having (a) a pair of spindle housings,

(b) a spindle rotatably mounted in each of said housings,

(c) an abrasive disc mounting plate on each of said spindles,

(d) a spindle aligning indicator device comprising (e) an indicator bar,

(f) means for attaching said indicator bar to one of said mounting plates,

(g) an indicator mounted on said indicator bar,

(l1) means on said indicator including a contact ball,

(i) and an indicator actuating bar mounted on said other mounting plate for engaging said contact ball for axial or radial indication.

5. In a double disc grinding machine having (a) a pair of spindle housings,

(b) a spindle rotatably mounted in each of said housings,

(c) an abrasive disc mounting plate on each of said spindles,

(d) a spindle aligning indicator device comprising (e) an indicator :bar,

(f) means for attaching said indicator bar to one of said mounting plates,

(g) an indicator mounted on said indicator bar,

(h) means on said indicator including a contact ball,

(i) an indicator actuating bar mounted on said other mounting plate for engaging said contact ball for axial or radial indication,

(j) said indicator bar being adjusted so that said contact ball is mid-way between said mounting plates when set for radial indication.

6. In a double disc grinding machine having (a) a pair of spindle housings,

(b) a spindle rotatably mounted in each of said housings,

(c) an abrasive disc mounting plate on each of said spindles,

(d) a spindle aligning indicator device comprising (e) an indicator bar,

(f) means for attaching said indicator bar to one of said mounting plates,

(g) an indicator mounted on said indicator .bar,

(h) an indicator actuating bar mounted on said other mounting plate and having (i) a surface for engaging said indicator for axial indication and (j) a surface perpendicular to said first mentioned surface for engaging said indicator for radial indication,

(k) and means to indicate the angular positions of said mounting plates and spindles in which indicator readings are to be taken,

7. In a double disc grinding machine having (a) a pair of spindle housings,

(b) a spindle rotatably mounted in each of said housings,

(c) an abrasive disc mounting plate on each of said spindles,

(d) a spindle aligning indicator device comprising (e) an indicator bar,

(f) means for attaching said indicator bar to one of said mounting plates,

(g) an indicator mounted on said indicator bar,

(h) an indicator actuating bar mounted on said other mounting plate and having (i) a surface for engaging said indicator for axial indication and (j) a surface perpendicular to said first mentioned surface for engaging said indicator for radial indication,

(k) and means to indicate the angular positions of References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1928 Knowles 51l65 3/1960 Muller 51-165 LESTER M. SWINGLE, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A DOUBLE DISC GRINDING MACHINE HAVING (A) A PAIR OF SPINDLE HOUSINGS, (B) A SPINDLE ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN EACH OF SAID HOUSINGS, (C) AN ABRASIVE DISC MOUNTING PLATE ON EACH OF SAID SPINDLES, (D) A SPINDLE ALIGNING INDICATOR DEVICE COMPRISING (E) AN INDICATOR BAR, (F) MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID INDICATOR BAR TO ONE OF SAID MOUNTING PLATES, (G) AN INDICATOR MOUNTED ON SAID INDICATOR BAR, (H) AND AN INDICATOR ACTUATING BAR MOUNTED ON SAID OTHER MOUNTING PLATE. 